Juan Felipe Giraldo, 24, has been found dead in the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Pereira, Colombia, just days before he was due to marry the mother of his young son, after a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country on 10 August.
The body of a groom-to-be who was days away from his wedding has been found in the rubble of a collapsed hotel in Colombia, following the devastating earthquake that struck the country on 10 August. Juan Felipe Giraldo, 24, was due to marry the mother of his child, Natalia Patiño, on 16 August, when he went missing in the city of Pereira. His father, Hernán Giraldo, travelled to Pereira after news of his son’s disappearance emerged, joining rescue teams who searched day and night through the ruins of the Hotel Dibeni, where Juan had been staying.
A desperate search for signs of life
Juan had travelled to Pereira on a work trip just hours before the earthquake struck, and ended up staying at the Hotel Dibeni in the city centre, which collapsed during the disaster. He had reportedly sent his fiancée a video shortly before the earthquake hit, footage that later helped rescuers pinpoint his location beneath the rubble.
As the search continued, his father Hernán clung to hope, saying in a heartbreaking video message: “There is life, there are small signs of life, and if there is life there is hope.” Addressing his son directly, he added: “Son, I love you. On Sunday you are going to be getting married, and if not on Sunday, it will be in eight, 15 days, but you will be there, son.”
Despite the extensive search, the family’s worst fears were realised when Juan’s body was eventually recovered from the rubble. His grieving fiancée, Natalia, paid tribute to him on Instagram, writing: “Forever and always my heart, you were the most complete love I ever had. I love you forever.” The couple had a two-year-old son together and lived in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.
A family of triplets torn apart in Cali
Juan’s death is one of many devastating personal stories to emerge from the earthquake. In Cali, the worst-hit city, 23-year-old Ana María Saavedra survived the collapse of her family’s four-storey home after taking shelter beneath a sturdy wooden table as the building came crashing down around her.
Her parents, Jairo Hernán Saavedra, 63, and Victoria Caicedo, 61, were tragically found dead in each other’s arms beneath the rubble. Her sister Sofía, one of Ana María’s triplet siblings, was also killed after becoming trapped beneath a collapsed staircase, while the body of the third triplet, Isabella, was recovered late on Thursday night. Ana María was left as the only surviving member of her immediate family.
Scale of the earthquake
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at a depth of around 64 miles in Chocó province, western Colombia, and was felt across a vast area of the country. Tremors reached hundreds of miles away, felt in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, as well as parts of Ecuador and Panama. Major cities including Cali and Pereira were among the worst-affected areas.
The earthquake caused widespread building collapses, extensive damage to roads and infrastructure, and left thousands of people displaced. Rescue crews faced dangerous conditions while searching unstable buildings for survivors, with ongoing aftershocks further complicating recovery operations.
Death toll continues to rise
According to a Saturday report from Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), officials confirmed 294 people dead and 3,935 injured. Thousands of homes were destroyed or damaged, and hundreds of people were reported missing during the rescue operation. Authorities have warned that casualty figures could continue to change as searches of damaged buildings continue.
Government response
The disaster represents an early and significant test for Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was inaugurated just days before the earthquake struck, on 7 August. The president has deployed 1,000 members of the security forces to Cali following reports of looting in the disaster zone.
On Tuesday, de la Espriella flew to Pereira with his wife, First Lady Ana Lucía Pineda, to inspect one of the worst-hit areas. Writing on X, he said: “My commitment is to each and every one of the affected families. We remain on the ground, working for our people.”
International support
Foreign governments have offered humanitarian assistance following the disaster, including emergency shelter, medical supplies, food and other essential materials, with rescue personnel from other countries also assisting Colombian teams in searching damaged buildings.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America “stands ready to support” Colombia, while the US Department of State described the disaster as “devastating” and pledged £11.5 million to provide emergency shelter and supplies. Colombian businesses and wealthy individuals have also pledged significant financial support towards the country’s recovery and reconstruction effort.
